Brian "Coco" Campbell, a Chain Runner originally from New Waterford in Cape Breton, NS was a DEVCO coal miner for 25 years who spent his time underground in Lingan and Prince Collieries. He was proud of his time in the mines, loved his co-workers and loved being a coal miner. Following Brian's passing in December of 2024, his son Kris was reflecting on an old DEVCO coffee mug he left behind and realized it was the only piece of DEVCO memorabilia he had from his Dad. Then the idea struck him like a pan shovel to the face: "Wouldn't it be great if we could get DEVCO merchandise again somehow? Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow re-create it, sell it and give back to our communities?"

It became a personal mission, and after a year or persistence and determination, the idea became a reality. We remember the hard days and nights our fathers worked underground to make a living for their families. We remember their sacrifice and their courage going into the deeps, never truly knowing if one shift may be their last. As kids, many of us remember greeting our Dads returning home from work early in the mornings before we went to school, usually after an overnight shift, or, "The Backshift".

Backshift Supply Co.™ was born from this reference, and aims to pay homage to Cape Breton's coal mining heritage and many other people who live Backshift Culture by creating merchandise and apparel that originates from it. It is also our mission to give back to our communities by supporting our next generations of hard working tradespeople and other charitable initiatives that support the legacy of our coal miners.

It is for that reason that proceeds from the sale of our DEVCO line, will be directly support and fund the Brian Campbell "Rapped Up" Memorial Award which was established at the Nova Scotia Community College to provide financial support for aspiring trades students.

The "Backshift" wasn't just a time slot; it was a badge of honor in the Cape Breton pits. It meant you were part of the crew that shored up the deeps while the world above was dreaming. It was "back-breaking" prep work that kept the wheels turning for everyone else. This culture doesn't just exist in the mines, it resonates with our medical professionals, our tradespeople, our police and first responders only to name a few.

We are only getting started and with your support we will do more because we want to Honour Every Shift.........